Board-clamp for benches.



No. 880,586. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

4 L'w. SIPES.

BOARD CLAMP FOR BBNGHES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 18, 1907.

, N WITNESSES: W 11W 0kh A TTOR/VE k9 IRA W. SIPES, OF ZION CITY, ILLINOIS.

BOARD-CLAMP FOR BENCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed June 18,1907- Serial No. 379598- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA WV. SIPEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Zion City, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Board- Olamp for Benches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment for benches used primarily by carpenters and other wood workers, and has for its object to provide a clamp on one side of said bench extending the full length thereof and adapted to hold and firmly clamp a long board or other long piece of wood with its upper surface raised sufiiciently high to enable a person to work thereon without removing the article from the clamp. The device can be adjusted to clamp a piece of wood of any ordinary thickness very quickly and without disconnecting any of the parts from the bench or from each other.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carpenters bench with the improved clamp attached thereto. 2 is a bottom plan view of the clamp and a portion of the bench supporting it. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 33 illustrating a certain detail of construction. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a part of the invention. Fig. 5 is a view of a modification.

Similar reference numerals are used to denote the same parts in all the figures.

The numeral 1 indicates a firm support which may be as shown, a carpenters bench of the usual type. On the side where the workman stands is secured removably or fixed, a stout timber 2 of equal or greater length than the bench and supported fiatwise against it. Extending parallel with, but outside the timber 2 is a similar timber 3 connected to the timber 2 by yokes or U- shaped links 4 near the ends of the two timbers. The straight legs 5 of each link 4 are slightly reduced in diameter and screw threaded to fit and rock in threaded sockets in metal bushings or sleeves 6 seated in vertical openings in the timbers '2 and 3. The bushings have enlarged heads 8 let into the edge of the timbers below the surface and they are fastened against rotation by small screws 6 extending through holes in said heads into the woodwork. Nicks are made in the heads to screw the bushings on the legs of the yokes. Washers 7 are placed on the shoulders made by reducing the legs 5 on which the timbers bear. The yoke links 4 .side of the inner fixed timber 2.

Fig.

are placed diagonally to the front ofg the timbers 2 and 3 so that when the outer timber 3 is moved longitudinally in one direction, the yokes or links 4 will be rocked and carry the timber 3 away from the inner fixed timber 2. A reverse movement of the timher 3 will bring it into contact with the timber 2. The yoke links 4 may be made as in Fig. 5, when of large size, that is with a square instead of a round yoke.

A short distance in rear of the forward link 4 is a depending bracket 9 bolted to the under A similar bracket 10 is fastened to the under side of the outer timber 3 some distance away from the bracket 9. A swinging hand lever 11 mounted on the bracket 10 has pivoted thereto a short distance below the bracket 10, one end of a connecting rod 12, the opposite end of said rod having ivotal connection with the bracket 9 on the fixed timber 2. Between the ends of the connecting rod 12 is placed a turn buckle 13 for changing the length of said rod. The hand lever 1 1 is curved as shown forv convenience and may be swung in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow in Fig. 1 until the connecting rod 12 pivoted thereto crosses the pivotal oint of the hand lever, when the latter stri (es a stop 14 which arrests its motion, but the hand lever cannot fall as the pivotal point of the connecting rod therewith is above its axis of rotation.

To use the board clamp, if it should be closed, the hand lever 11 is pushed down carrying the attached end of the connecting rod 12 with it. As the o posite end of the connecting rod is pivotal y attached to the fixed bracket 9 the end attached to the hand lever 1 1 must move downwardly in an arc, the cen ter of which is the fixed bracket pivot. The continued downward movement of the hand lever will necessarily force the bracket 10 and the outer timber 3 to move in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, thereby causing the yoke links 4 to turn in the same direction, which, from their angular relation to the timbers or jaws 2 and 3, will move the timber or jaw 3 away from the timber 2 as clearly represented by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3. When the hand lever has reached the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the yoke links 4 will be at right angles to the aws 2 and 3 which in consequence will be se arated to their greatest extent. If a board e now placed between the jaws and the hand lever raised until it strikes the stop, the board will be firmly clam ed between the two timbers or jaws and he d so clamped until the hand lever is de ressed.

It is to e understood that when the turn buckle 1 5111 the present construction has drawn the threaded parts of the connecting rod substantially into contact, the hand lever when raised will bring the two jaw timbers into mutual contact with their upper edges forming a part of the bench surface, and when moved to the dotted position the timbers or jaws will be separated to their greatest extent. Now if a board is to be clamped, the jaws may be separated far enough to receive the board but when the hand lever is raised to clamp it, the lever cannot be elevated sufficiently high to bring it in contact with the stop 14 because the board will not allow the jaws tojicome together. To compensate for the thickness of the board, the turn buckle 13 is rotated until the connecting rod is sufficiently lengthened to permit the hand lever being raised to its locked position. From the above itis made clear how boards and other materials of different thickness may be readily clamped and securely held in position. From the fact that the timbers or jaws are connected by a plurality of yoke links all in parallel planes, it is self evident that the movable jaw will be parallel to the fixed one in whatever position it may be moved.

This invention has been described above as forming a part of a carpenters bench, but this has been done simply to provide the board clamp with a logical sup port; it forms no ermanent part of the bench and can be rea ily removed therefrom by withdrawing a few screws or bolts which fastened the inner timber to the bench. This clamping device may, in fact be secured to any structure of a suitable size and shape to hold it, and it will therefore be claimed independent of any par-.

ticular support;

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A bench clamp comprising a fixed aw,

a movable jaw, connecting links between said jaws, a lever pivoted at one end to the movable jaw and. adapted to swing longitudinally thereof, a rod pivoted to said lever and to a fixed part of the clamp, and means connected with said rod whereby its length may be changed to permit said lever to carry said rod across its axis of rotation for locking said. jaws in clamped position.

2. A bench clamp comprising a fixed jaw, a parallel movable jaw, connecting links between said jaws, a hand lever pivoted at one end to the movable jaw and adapted to swing longitudinally thereof, a rod pivoted to said lever and to the movable jaw and a turn buckle on said rod for changing its length to permit said lever carrying said rod across its axis of rotation to lock the jaws against separation when'clamping an object.

3. A bench clamp comprising a fixed jaw adapted to be secured. to the side of a bench, a movable aw supported therefrom, a plurality of yoke shaped links each having a leg threaded into the fixed jaw and a leg similarly threaded into the movable jaw thereby forming the support for the movable jaw, and meansfor operating the movable jaw.

4. A bench clamp comprising a fixed jaw,

a movable jaw and a plurality of yoke-' shaped links pivoted to said jaws, bushings having threaded sockets fitted in vertical openings in said jaws, said sockets adapted to receive the threaded legs of said yokes, and means for preventing the rotation of said bushings.

5. A bench clamp comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a plurality of yoke shaped links between said jaws the legs of said links being threaded, bushings extending through holes in said jaws having threaded sockets for the legs of said links and nicks in the ends of I said bushings for turning them, and removable fastening means extending through said bushings for preventing them from turning.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IRA W. SIPES.

Witnesses:

W. H. LICHTY, MARY S. LIGHTY. 

